Prime Highlights:
- Devon and Torbay will receive over £3 million to expand construction skills training.
- The funding is part of a national £570 million plan to increase further education capacity and create more training opportunities.
Key Facts:
- The South West needs 4,220 additional construction workers each year.
- Colleges like Exeter College will expand courses in trades such as bricklaying, carpentry, and plastering to meet growing demand.
Background:
Devon and Torbay are set to benefit from over £3 million in government funding aimed at expanding construction skills training, as part of a broader £21 million allocation for the South West. This funding forms part of a nationwide £570 million initiative to increase capacity in further education and create new training opportunities across the UK.
The Department for Education says the funding will help meet the growing need for skilled construction workers in the South West, where 4,220 new workers are needed each year.
Colleges in Cornwall and the West of England will each get over £9 million from the investment. Exeter College and other local colleges will use the funds to expand courses in trades like bricklaying, carpentry, and plastering, giving students practical training and better job opportunities.
Applications have also opened for the next group of Technical Excellence Colleges, which will focus on skills in manufacturing, defence, digital, and clean energy sectors. Additional investment will support T Level providers with £8.8 million for industry-standard equipment, and a new FE Teacher Industry Exchange programme will bring construction professionals into college classrooms starting in January.
Final allocations for the £283 million local funding share will be confirmed in the new year, ensuring that colleges across the South West can continue developing the workforce needed to support the region’s growth and the government’s target of delivering 60,000 additional construction workers to help build 1.5 million homes by the end of this Parliament.
